To all freelancers looking for help

[#1]

I have always had freelancers come to me for help. In the last year, the river has swelled into an enormous ocean.

You don't need me; Upwork provides an enormous amount of information that few ever use. If, after you have gone through all the information I provide, you still have questions, that is when you ask additional questions in the forum.

If you think you will make big bucks right away, you are mistaken. The majority of freelancers never land a job because they have no skills and aren't interested in educating themselves. Others believe online freelancing is a path to full-time employment. It can be, but highly unlikely on this platform.

Freelancing is not for everyone. It means you are self-employed and must adhere to all regulations and laws governing responsibilities, such as paying taxes. Freelancing means you are on your own. No one has your back, including Upwork. If you don't follow the rules, no one will or can help you.

If you are willing to work hard, follow the rules and prepared to spend a lot of connects and proposals, you can be successful, as many are on Upwork. While so many fail, it is almost always due to lack of skills and treating freelancing like employment  where the employer will make sure you do the job correctly.

If you want to succeed, start with the Terms of Service, then read this from Wes. 

Then go here. Then here.  Next, check this site regularly for events such as webinars and other learning opportunities.

After that, go here for safety information, and then here. If you still need help, after you have gone through all the previous steps, you can find additional help here. This thread is dedicated to new freelancers. And here are announcements from Upwork that can help keep you up to date.

It will take some time to go through all the information. I'm not suggesting people should not post in the forum, I am suggesting before you ask questions and want help, you need to help yourself first.

From Prashant P: "And have relevant profile picture of your face.  Not some desks, or Mickey mouse, or full face covering." 

From Susan S: "And patience! Have patience! It takes a while to get started, even after going through all the information available."

From Martina P:  "Only one thing you forgot, namely telling people to use all 15 skills, if you have all 15 skills"

And with advice from Maria T, I will say, 

Refrain from personal messages, please read all the links I have added.

[#2]

Hello Jeanne-

Quick question. I'm going through my feed and almost half of the job postings are like this. They display that there has been a hire, but the job is still accepting proposals. Are these jobs still open, or is Upwork trying to get me to spend connects on jobs that are already closed?

[#3]

The job remains open unless the client closes the position or Upwork removes it for Terms violations. Personally, I never apply if there are people being interviewed, unless I want the job and I know I can do it better than anyone else.

Usually, the client doesn't know they should close the job, or they just don't care. Some jobs will say they are hiring multiple freelancers, but if it doesn't, then I would not apply.

I will let you decide why Upwork employs this strategy.

By the way, just curious, why are you looking for Upwork jobs on messaging?

[#4]

I'm not. Why would think that? These screen shots are from my "Find Work" feed.

[#5]

OK, thanks for the clarification.

[#6]

Hi mam 

I looking for community support about my profile on Upwork

[#7]

Can you explain what you are looking for? Your profile shows you have put in work to make it professional. It till could be improved. Don't use greetings, names, or skills in the introduction. The first line is all the clients see in a search. Don't waste it. Tell the client why you can do the work better than anyone else. Instead of using lists, form the text into paragraphs.

If you need assistance, post again.

[#8]

Dear Jeanee H:

Your comments are very helpfull, can you please review my profile as well.

[#9]

First, you need a photo of your face, with a neutral background and no sunglasses, hats, AI, flashing GIF, etc.

You need to go back to the top and use the links to profile examples. Currently, you will only find scams, because it is far too long. The first line is all the clients see in a search, so don't waste it. Use the first line to tell the client why you can do the job better than the rest. Remove all the graphics and emojis. It is not professional. Form the text into paragraphs.

In addition, you need to show clients your work. Add samples to your portfolio. Make sure you have permission to use the work, or it is yours.

The more professional your profile, the more clients you will attract and fewer scammers.

[#10]

Perfectly stated, thank you for the post!

[#11]

hello I am Vazha and  i am new in freelanicng can you help me?

[#12]

If you want to freelance, you need to learn how to use the platform. Go back to the top pinned post and read it, and then follow every link.

You can start with a photo.

If you try to freelance now, you will be scammed and never find work. Freelancing means you are responsible for everything - marketable skills, money to run the business, patience, motivation, and again, those marketable skills.

[#13]

how maam im interested as freelancer

[#14]

I have responded to you before in another thread. I don't know if you are a bot or a freelancer. Your profile is empty, you have made no effort to read or follow the rules, or do anything you need to do. You need to decide what you want to do, and if you have the skills to do them. With no skills, no profile, and no effort, you are going to fail.

Read the top pinned post, and follow every link. You are in no way prepared to freelance, and will only find scams. Employment may be your best option. Even with someone else paying the bills, and making sure you do the work correctly, you still have to put in effort.

[#15]

Hello maam,
I've worked in other freelance platform and i've completed 50+ projects so now I have come to upwork i've seen that the project on upwork are great to work for now i'm spending my connects to get projects and almost spend 250+ connects to get my first project but i failed and let me mention that I have send customize proposal to attrack clients. so Do you have any suggestion for me?

[#16]

First, I would change the photo background to a neutral color. Then, go back to the top pinned post, read it and follow all the links. The Upwork resources and Red Flags on Scams from Wes are critical to being safe and understanding how to use the platform.

You have the first line to tell the clients why you are the best in the field, and you need the hard skills to back up your claims. Remove the lists and graphics/emojis in the profile. Form the information into paragraphs.

When you start working here, it is like starting over. Most freelancers never find a job. However, most of those freelancers, don't have the marketable skills to freelance. Freelancers often report having to apply to 60–100 jobs before being hired. The variables are many, and include marketable skills. The platform is flooded with unskilled and under-skilled people who apply for the same jobs.

In proposals, the first two lines are all the client sees before making a decision. Use those lines to explain why you are the best choice for the project.

You have good information, and with a few adjustments, it can be great.

[#17]

Thank you for this Jeanne!

I am praying for everyone to land the job they deserve including myself.

Keep learning, keep hustling! 💎

[#18]

I agree that there has been more help available from the platform to new freelancers than it was when I started 6/7 yrs ago. There were skills verification tests that were removed and now added back in a different format. Putting these aside, please note that times are changing everywhere and for everyone.
In addition to what Jeanne has mentioned, even if you're already skilled and experienced, always remember that there're also competitions. One of the main thing that will help is to be willing to improve your repertoire of skills that can find you jobs. I may be a niche freelancer but I am still learning new things so that I can combine my old skills with new ones to cater for changing times. If you have time while looking for a job, use the time to learn things that might complement your skills. You can always look at posted jobs to see what might be useful. 

[#19]

Hi Jeanne H

Hope you all are doing well. Muhammad Urfan here. 

I am just adding my Journey on upwork. I have submitted 65 plus proposals on upwork, purchased membership, buyed connects, improved my profile, made reserch on submitting good proposals etc but all efforts remain silent for me. Sometimes i get disppointed and stop submitting proposals.

Patience, consistency, and Hope are 3 words motivating me to use this forum. I believe on improvement, hard work and performance. My purpose of writing here is to get some guidance, suggestions from successful freelancers to enable me to find some work.

wish you all best of luck for your Journey.

Regards

Muhammad Urfan

Account and Finance Professional 

[#20]

I suggest you go back to the top pinned post, read it, and use all the resource links. Your profile is mostly empty, and you are wasting the top line, which is all clients see in a search. Profiles need to be professional to attract clients and deter scammers. You need to tell the client in the first sentence why you are better than everyone else - if you can back up your claims.

Until you complete your profile and learn the rules, do not apply for or even look at jobs. You are not prepared to freelance and scammers will target you. Your incomplete profile is another reason no one is looking at your proposals. Chances are, you can improve those, too.

There are 20 millions freelancers on Upwork, but we don't know how many are active. We do know, every category is flooded, and some are turning into a new ocean. The competition is fierce, and you need to be at the top of your game. Anything you can do to stand out in your field is an advantage that you will need.

[#21]

"I'm passionate about social media marketing and blogging, and I believe freelancing provides the perfect platform for me to leverage my expertise. I enjoy the flexibility it offers, allowing me to take on diverse projects and collaborate with clients from different industries. My goal is to [mention a specific goal or outcome you aim to achieve], and I believe freelancing not only aligns with my career aspirations but also allows me to continuously learn and grow in a dynamic environment. I've already started building my portfolio, and I'm excited about the prospect of contributing my skills to various projects and making a meaningful impact for clients. I understand the challenges that come with freelancing, and I'm committed to delivering high-quality work, managing my time effectively, and building long-lasting relationships with clients."

[#22]

I'm not sure what this is, but it's not the way you find work on Upwork. If this is intended as advice, it is poor.

You need to go back to the top pinned post, read it and follow every link. Your current profile will only get you scammed. You are wasting the first line of your profile, because you have top tell the client why you are better than the rest, and back it up with proven, marketable skills.

You need to decide what you want to do on the platform, You have multiple skills listed, but no sample, portfolio or anything to back up your claims. It's up to you if you are successful or scammed.

[#23]

Hi,

If I want to promote my project, how do I do it? I already boosted my project but no feedback.

Regards,
Kamrul Hasan Noor

[#24]

Just because you boost something, doesn't mean there are any guarantees that you will have positive results. I would focus on improving your profile (too many lists, graphics/emojis) and use the Academy to make a few changes.

Projects seem to fall into two categories - people who love them and people who hate them. I don't know if there are any Upwork stats on project success.

[#25]

Hello, this is Robian. I am a new freelancer here and this is my first time working with a client. I have accepted the contract stating that I must complete 12 tasks. I am wondering where I can find the tasks assigned to me. Is there a link that I need to follow to access them? I appreciate any help you can provide.

[#26]

The contract should state the job and all details. Do not accept until it says everything you want it to say. This goes for clients as well. It is the only document that shows what the agreement is between client and freelancer. It should contain information on revisions, changes, alterations, time to complete the job, exact description, and all details.

You should never accept a job when you don't know what the job is. How do you know you can do it? I understand wanting to get your first job, but this is not the way to do it. You have to start at the beginning, before you lose everything. Go back to the top pinned post, read it, and follow every link. If you continue, you will only be scammed.

Don't do any work. Contact the client and tell them you need to see the tasks. For all you know, you could be obligated to work for the next ten years. If you do not hear from the client, or if the tasks are outrageous, you may need to close the contract.

The Upwork resources will help you develop a professional profile, which is one of the best ways to deter scammers and attracts clients.